India opens high-altitude military airbase near China border amid thaw in ties

India’s Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh on Wednesday landed a C-130J transport aircraft at the new Mudh-Nyoma air force station in Ladakh, a senior defence official said.

The airbase, situated at roughly 13,000 feet (4,000 metres), lies just 30 km (19 miles) from the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the de facto boundary between India and China.

The Indian Air Force and defence ministry have yet to comment publicly, but the official said the new facility would be capable of handling fighter jet operations.

“This new airfield in Ladakh, capable of fighter operations, will add a new challenge for both of our adversaries,” retired Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor posted on X, referring to China and Pakistan. He noted that China already operates an airfield at a similar altitude.

The base is the third of its kind in the strategically sensitive Ladakh region, where military infrastructure has expanded rapidly since a deadly 2020 clash with Chinese forces. That confrontation left at least 20 Indian and four Chinese troops dead.

Despite a significant diplomatic thaw — including a landmark military de-escalation pact signed in October 2024 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China earlier this year — mistrust remains. Indian officials point to the ongoing build-up of troops and logistics by both sides near the border.

India and China share a 3,800 km (2,400 mile) border that has remained disputed since the 1950s. The two countries fought a brief war in 1962. Recent agreements have allowed for resumed air travel and direct dialogue, but military posture remains tense.

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